Freezing objects in ice

Freezing objects in ice is a fairly regular request for the team here at Hamilton Ice Sculptors, and it may seem relatively simple, but you might be surprised at what’s involved.

It’s not just a simple case of pouring water over things and shoving them in the freezer. If you take a look at the ice cubes you make in your own freezer, you’ll notice that the water does not freeze clear. It’s opaque. So the first issue is that we need to be able to see what we’re freezing!

The second issue is that if we randomly dropped objects into water and then tried to freeze them, they’d all sink to the bottom. So what’s the solution?

To keep the ice clear, the water needs to be kept moving as it freezes. To get the objects in the middle of the block, the bottom is allowed to freeze first, then the objects are placed where they need to go before the rest of the water is frozen over the top. That completes the block.

Take a look at our video below to hear Ben explain exactly how it works.